Very often people go through a difficult patch in life and they don’t know whether they are stressed, depressed or just going through a burnout.

Clinicians and researchers say there is a thin line between these conditions to the extent that most people don’t know what to tell their friends and they resort to saying ‘I am tired’.

You feel tired, weary, unmotivated and generally ‘done’. Many targets not met, many tasks to perform, errands to make, bills to pay, you are dealing with grief of losing a loved one or going through a break up.

When all these things pile up, also coupled with daily work and chores, sometimes you feel you are on the edge. The feeling of being depleted, resentful and ineffective can trigger that feeling of being stressed or depressed.

You try to carry on, it piles up and piles up. However, the question is, how will you know if this situation is just stress or full-blown depression?

Clinical psychologists say that unlike stress or burnout, depression is a mental health condition that interferes with a person’s ability to carry out daily functions.

It’s characterised by feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in once enjoyable activities. On the other hand, stress is a normal part of life and most times can be seen as an individual effort to push oneself to do better.

Experts say a little bit of stress is beneficial and motivating, but too much stress can lead to high blood pressure, weight gain, heart disease and other conditions.

Signs of stress

There are common signs of stress given off by your body which help you to know whether you’re experiencing too much stress or not. These include the inability to concentrate or complete tasks.

Procrastination is a common sign of stress and it signals that someone has internally given in to the pressure of whatever they are going through. If you have trouble functioning at work, check yourself please.

If you also tend to pick up many tasks at the same time and don’t accomplish them, chances are you stressed. If you feel overwhelmed by the many things you have to do or accomplish, you could be stressed.

Insomnia is another common sign of stress. If you have trouble falling asleep or you stay awake many hours in the night, it could be that you are stressed.

Having memory problems is also another sign of stress, especially if you forget important programmes and plans.

Stress can also alter your eating habits and you start eating at odd hours, missing meals and not eating at all for some.

Constant headaches and body aches as well as getting sick all the time also signal stress and if not attended to can become something else.

How is stress different from depression?

A depression diagnosis is typically given once a person experiences a depressed mood. It’s characterised by feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in once enjoyable activities.

When these symptoms persist for two weeks, it is advised that the person seeks help from a specialist. Unlike stress, signs of depression are more severe.

Stress is not a mental health condition. It tends to have an obvious trigger, like a move, divorce, or illness and typically resolves as life events change.

However, stress can lead to mental health problems like anxiety and depression if it persists over long periods without relief. Depression is a mental health condition that requires a medical diagnosis.

Signs of depression

Some of the key signs of depression include feeling sad and hopeless, while withdrawing from other people to be a loner could signal high levels of depression.

If you lose interest in hobbies and activities which previously excited you, it could be a sign that you are depressed.

Similarly, when you all of a sudden have uncontrollable levels of anger and rage, which you never had before, you could be depressed.

Other signs include eating more or less than usual and sleeping more or less than usual. While these signs are exhibited among people with stress, the level of seriousness differs.

Lack of energy and motivation, feeling restless, agitated, and irritable are other signs you need to look out for to know if you are depressed.

More severe signs include feeling bad about yourself or feeling guilty while many even have suicidal thoughts. Seek urgent help if you experience any of these signs.